Oh My Goodness!! Another Steep Learning Curve!!

I have been saying for months now that I need to learn how to quilt on the mid-arm quilting machine I purchased three years ago.  Well, I finally used it for the first time today and boy oh boy do I ever have a new appreciation for all of you who do free-hand quilting on whatever machine you use!!!

I wanted to practice on a few pieces first before quilting the little mug rug I made and so I tried free motion stippling on a scrap and good thing it was a scrap!!  Oy Vay!!!  Then I tried stitching in the ditch using the free motion and attachment and again - oh boy again!!!

I finally decided to try stitching in the ditch using the regular foot on the machine and that was even more difficult than I had realized it would be!!!

Good thing the first piece I finished is one of the cat quilts for the no-kill animal shelter in Long Beach, Washington because I am thinking that the little kitty that receives this quilt will care less if my ditch stitches are not lying completely in their respective ditches!!!  Whew!!!

I am just thrilled that I finally made that huge leap and completed my very first quilt!!  Woo! Hoo!